Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
The municipal school students from economically weaker sections should also have access to quality facilities. With this in mind, administrator G Sreekanth has initiated the implementation of the modern turf concept. The work has been started at Priyadarshini School in Shastrinagar, Garkheda. Soon, work will commence at the civic school in Baijipura. Nearly Rs 1 crore will be spent on constructing the turf field. Turf fields will be set up in locations with large grounds.
Sreekanth took charge of CSMC 15 months ago. From his very first day, he prioritised improving educational standards and providing good facilities in municipal schools. Due to his efforts, the number of out-of-school students significantly decreased. In June, queues started forming for admissions in municipal schools. In some places, 'No Vacancy' boards had to be put up. By spending Rs 63 crores, more than 50 schools were transformed into state-of-the-art smart schools. In various parts of the city, turf fields were started on a private basis. In the evenings, these places began to attract crowds for playing various field games, including cricket. As a result, now the work of setting up turf fields in municipal schools is being given priority.
According to sources, the work has started at the Priyadarshini School in Garkheda on approximately 1 acre of land with an expenditure of Rs 36.17 lakh. Similarly, Rs 33.38 lakh is being spent on the municipal school in Shastrinagar, Garkheda. In Baijipura, a turf field will be constructed with an expenditure of Rs 19 lakh, but work has not yet started there. The ongoing work is expected to be completed within a month. Turf fields will also be constructed in municipal schools with the highest number of students.
Encouraging interest in sports among students
The CSMC Deputy Commissioner, Ankush Pandhare, said, “ The students are currently spending a lot of time on mobile phones. Therefore, it has become very important to draw them towards field sports. Under the guidance of the administrator, turf fields are being constructed in a few schools in the city. In the second phase, more schools have been selected for this initiative.”